The Importance of Art

I think I have wanted to be involved in something creative my whole life. When I was younger I liked to draw, but mostly I liked to write. I thought I would make a career as a journalist. I sometimes wonder how life would have turned out had I had someone to encourage me to go to college and to follow that passion. However, things rolled on and I went to Business College instead and began working in offices. Interestingly enough, I worked in a Personnel/Insurance Department at my first job and then at an HMO for my 2nd job. Who knew I would later spend almost 20 years selling insurance? At any rate, I met my delightful and handsome husband and then went the marriage and babies route. Through it all I have always loved to read. I was a voracious reader as a child and it was and is not uncommon now for me to read 2 or 3 books at one time. My love for words leads me in very eclectic directions. I read anything from murder mysteries to romance novels, to how-to books to histories of the Russian Royal families. While the children were growing up I had very little time for anything artistic in nature except reading. Then when we thought our family was complete, we added 2 more people to the mix, and more time was devoted to raising kids. Being a parent of a healthy child is challenging enough, but when you are the parent to several special needs children, it really takes all of your time. So, for many years my artistic nature had to take a backseat to runny noses, and speech appointments. Fortunately, I could always take a book to those appointments. Finally, the children got larger and a little more able to be on their own and I began to take an interest in photography. I only had a point and shoot camera, but as I travelled to different places, I began to notice that I see things, not just in terms of "oh, there's a tree"; but more like, "Isn't that a lovely picture, the way the light shines down through all the yellow and red leaves, and the bark is such an interesting pattern in that oak tree." So, I always tried to take pictures like I had a $2,000 camera instead of a $200 camera. Then, when my father got sick with cancer and had to spend months and months in the hospital, I realized that I suddenly had a lot of "free" time on my hands. I say that jokingly because while I sat at the hospital for hours and hours every day, it certainly didn't feel like "free" time. But there were periods of time when Daddy napped and some when he didn't but he didn't like the television to be on because he couldn't hear it well and it was just noise to him. So, I looked around for something to do. First, I taught myself to crochet and I made a purse. Then, I bought charcoal pencils and began to draw. Next I moved onto paint by number and then to acrylics and watercolors. I found that art was an oasis in a sea of foment. However, that was soon to change. I lost my brother unexpectedly and then Daddy passed on in the same month. Later that same year, I lost 2 uncles and then my precious Mother-in Law, Sue. It was a cruddy year, and suddenly, I didn't want to do art any more. Three years passed and I was slowly starting to realize that the world had color again. So I picked up a camera and began to shoot. Now, I live, eat and breathe photography. I am thinking of making it a career. Am I too old to start a new career? I don't know. But I do know that while I feel like I am freaking out and falling apart in other ways, but when I have a camera in my hand or look at the photos I have taken on my computer that I feel excitement and contentment. I still don't have a $2,000 camera, but I still want to try to take pictures like I do. I want other people to look at that old oak and see the patterns and light with me. I'd like to believe it's in my genes because my Mother drew when she was younger and my cousin, Leisa, likes to draw and paint and my cousin Alan does hair, which I think is a form of artistic expression. Whether it is due to genes or just plain necessity, I have found art to be my calm, my center. Soon I hope to be able to focus completely on my art and if I am lucky, get paid to do it. Now that's what I call a career!